This invention relates to the field of mobile applications for detection of unattended occupants within a vehicle.
There are many patented inventions for notifying individuals responsible for an occupant that the occupant is left in a vehicle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,922,147 by Viksnins, et al. provides for a warning system sensing child left behind in infant seat in vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 8,618,926 by Thompson provides for a warning system to avoid child hyperthermia in vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,930,614 by Rackham, et al. provides for an occupant alarm system. WO 2012109472 by Gregory B Schoenberg and Robert S. Steffen provides for systems and methods for indicating the presence of a child in a vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 8,212,665 by Shoenberg provides for systems and methods for indicating the presence of a child in a vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 7,592,905 by Barton, et al. provides for an apparatus and method to detect the presence of a child in a vehicle.
Most of these devices use sensors in order to detect whether an occupant is in the vehicle. Such sensors will sense the occupant only if the occupant is in a vehicle where the sensors are located. Consequently, the devices using sensors lack flexibility. There is a pressing social need for an invention that can operate in most vehicles without the need for installing sensors in the vehicle. Moreover, there is a demand for an invention that does not require the users of the invention to buy (often expensive) sensors. The present invention fills the aforementioned gaps in the prior art.
Relevant prior art includes:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,922,147 by Viksnins
U.S. Pat. No. 8,618,926 by Thompson
U.S. Pat. No. 6,930,614 by Rackham
WO 2012109472 by Gregory B Schoenberg and Robert S. Steffen
U.S. Pat. No. 8,212,665 by Shoenberg
U.S. Pat. No. 7,592,905 by Barton